Podcast appearances and mentions of Isabel J Kim

ISBW 22.12 Happy Pride! Recently we welcomed Isabel J. Kim to the show to talk about her debut novel, Sublimation! We not only talk about her mind-bending Severence-like novel, but her use of point of view, second person, and about her award-winning story "WHY DON'T WE JUST KILL THE KID IN THE OMELAS HOLE". This post went live for supporters on June 19, 2026. If you want early and ad-free episodes, support at Patreon! Remember you can join us on Thursdays, 3pm Eastern on Twitch! The next live episode is June 25! Links: Isabel J. Kim "WHY DON'T WE JUST KILL THE KID IN THE OMELAS HOLE" Evergreen Links Like the podcast? Get the book! I Should Be Writing. Socials: Bluesky, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate Theme by John Anealio Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more! OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books! Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at no extra cost to you. You can also support by leaving a Spotify or Apple review! CREDITS Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja, and files hosted by Libsyn. Get archives of the show via Patreon. Jun 19, 2026 | ISBW 22.12 | murverse.com "Isabel J. Kim talks SUBLIMATION" by Mur Lafferty is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 In case it wasn't clear: Mur and this podcast are fully supportive of LGBTQ+ folks, believe that Black Lives Matter, and trans rights are human rights, despite which direction the political winds blow. If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.

In which Amanda makes the worst PowerPoint ever (it's about rationalists and fan fiction, iykyk), Isabel goes on book tour, and we experiment with flip phones.The PowerPoint in question: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ch0rBRdr8PGindVGa0cGQaKDiYR5rFmMiclL58CPci8/edit?slide=id.p#slide=id.pFind Us Online Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/wowiftrue.bsky.socialTwitter: https://twitter.com/wowiftruepodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/wowiftruePatreon: https://www.patreon.com/wowiftrueWebsite: https://wowiftrue.com/ Email: wowiftruepod@gmail.comAbout Us Wow If True was created by Isabel J. Kim and Amanda Silberling. Our editors are Allison Mills and David Newtown. Wow If True is a member of Multitude, a podcast collective, production studio and ad sales provider.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson & Greta Kelly as they delve into a writing masterclass on The Art of the Short Story with award-winning author Isabel J. Kim. During the episode, Isabel gets to the short of it, discussing what a short story is, short fiction as a testing ground, comparing short-form vs. long-form fiction, approaching theme, plot and structure in short stories, conciseness and pacing, trimming stories down, selling your short stories and more.NOTE: This is part two of a two-part chat with Isabel. Click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to check out part one.

Isabel J. Kim stopped by to talk about her astonishing speculative debut SUBLIMATION, a thriller about identity, memory, and the immigrant experience set in a world where immigrating creates a literal doppelgänger, with one version crossing the border and the other staying behind.

In this episode, I talk with Isabel J. Kim about her debut speculative fiction, Sublimation!   Listen to hear about: How Isabel J. Kim's inspiration for Sublimation came from her own experience growing up between Korea and the United States and wondering how different her life might have been if she had stayed in Korea permanently. Why "instancing" (where you split into two people when you cross a border) worked so well as a speculative framework to explore identity, immigration, belonging, and the ways environment shapes who we become over time. The process of expanding her short story into a novel, which required adding new perspectives and characters to show that different people would experience the phenomenon of instancing in radically different ways. How she chose to approach borders as both physical and social constructs, examining how governments, corporations, immigration systems, and personal choices all influence identity and belonging. Why speculative fiction often isn't really about the future—it uses imagined worlds to examine present-day social, political, and cultural tensions through a different lens. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

Award-winning author Isabel J. Kim visits to talk about her debut novel Sublimation, available June 2, 2026 from Tor. She talks about the book's major concepts, how they apply to the personal act of narrativization, empathy, how nostalgia colors our perceptions and decisions, and how we make better choices about ourselves and our lives.You can find more about Isabel J. Kim at www.isabel.kim and you can get Sublimation at your local library or your favorite book retailer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson & Greta Kelly as they chat with award-winning author Isabel J. Kim about her debut novel Sublimation, fleshing out a short story into a novel, the immigrant experience, writing multiple versions of the same characters, tech corporations and technothrillers, writing 2nd-person perspective, book deals and bidding wars, TV adaptations, weird internet culture, studying copyright law and more.NOTE: This is part one of a two-part chat with Isabel. Stayed tuned next week for her writing masterclass on The Art of the Short Story.

Send a SASE! This week, V and Emily take a look at the illustrious -- pun intended -- life and career of Big Name Fanartist and writer Beverly Zuk, whose Fanlore page is a riot of full-frontal Vulcans. We look at the fascinating fic she wrote, particularly "The Third Verdict," and read through her instructions of how to become a fanartist in 1978. Plus, we marvel at the Star Trek Welcommittee and their work to help fans connect in an age before the internet made connecting simple, if not always easy. The key thing we take away from Beverly Zuk's legacy is that fandom is about being a fan together with others. Sources Fanlore: The Third Verdict Fanlore: Beverly Zuk IDIC #10 In Memoriam, Bev Zuk How To Break Into Treklit So You Want to Be A Fanartist! Promo Aim High Brooch Designs - For 25% off any order on Aim High Brooch Designs on Etsy, including a custom brooch, bag charm, keychain, or magnet design, use the promo code TWIFH. Virtual TGIF/F - Our friends at TGI Femslash have just announced a brand-new, online fan con happening this summer. On August 29–30, Virtual TGIF/F will bring femslash fans from around the world together for discussion panels, online events, and more. Registration opens June 1st. Find out more at tgifemslash.com/virtualcon Wow If True - Wow If True is your one-stop internet culture shop, explaining how what's happening online shapes the real world. And they're the internet experts and real-life besties to unravel it: tech culture journalist Amanda Silberling and science fiction author slash attorney Isabel J. Kim, Esq. More importantly, they're the only podcast that will mention Neopets and horizontal mergers in the same episode. So check out Wow If True, wherever on the internet you find your podcasts. New episodes every other Wednesday. RePROs Fight Back - Right now reproductive health is facing seismic shifts and can feel confusing, overwhelming, and exhausting. On rePROs Fight Back, host Jennie Wetter really makes it feel like you're learning from your friend. rePROs Fight Back breaks down the big, overwhelming issues in ways that actually make sense and really shows the ripple effects happening after the news cycle moves on. Jennie brings on experts and advocates to talk about everything from abortion access and sex-ed to the real impact of gender inequality and threats to LGBTQI+ rights. Plus, she's always honest about how she's managing these heavy feelings and how she's coping. Check out rePROs Fight Back wherever you're listening to this podcast right now. This Week In Fandom History is a fandom-centric podcast that tells you… what happened this week in fandom history! Follow This Week in Fandom History on Tumblr at @thisweekinfandomhistory We're now on Instagram! @thisweekinfandomhistory Check out our Fandom Primer playlist via linktr.ee/twifh You can support the show via our Patreon at http://www.patreon.com/thisweekinfandomhistory If you have a fannish company, event, or service and would like to sponsor or partner with TWIFH, please contact us via our website. Please remember to rate the show 5 stars on your listening platform of choice!

Google is broken, and so is Amanda, apparently, because she is seeking validation from an AI chatbot. Also, video games. Sublimation is out on 6/2. This is what we have for you.We'll be back next week for the "Sublimation is out!" spectacular, but you should pre-order it now: https://bookshop.org/p/books/sublimation-isabel-j-kim/75bdbf4afed5475f?ean=9781250376794&next=tAlso, ISABEL IS ON TOUR ! Dates below, and more info + tickets at https://us.macmillan.com/tours/isabel-j-kim-sublimation/ VIRTUALLY: June 2 — I'll be on r/Fantasy doing an AMA more or less all day! Come ask me your burning questions, also, your unburning questions. You can just ask me whatever. June 7 — I'm going to be at The Back Room for a virtual event (details to come at their website)! PHYSICALLY: May 30 — PGH Bookfest in Pittsburgh (with John Scalzi) June 2 — Barnes and Noble, Clifton, NJ (with Neil Clarke)June 3 — The Strand, NYC (with Jinwoo Chong) June 4 — Harvard Books Store, Boston (with R.F. Kuang) June 6 — RJ Julia, Madison CT (with @redreadsreviews) June 10 — Center for Fiction, Brooklyn (on a panel with Joseph Eckert & Thomas Elrod, moderated by Yume Kitasei) June 20 — Bronx Book Festival, the Bronx (on a panel with Nicole Glover, Andrea Hairston, and Vincent Tirado) June 30 — Dungeon Books, Jersey City (with Yume Kitasei)About Us Wow If True was created by Isabel J. Kim and Amanda Silberling. Our editors are Allison Mills and David Newtown. Wow If True is a member of Multitude, a podcast collective, production studio and ad sales provider.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Help us, Obi-Wan, you're our only hope! This week, Emily and V look at three separate events that, as we say in Star Wars fandom, "rhyme": the releases of Star Wars (1977), Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1983), and Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018). While audience reactions to the three movies aren't identical, the Force grip that Star Wars has on all of us has remained steadfast since the beginning. Star Wars is more than a fandom. It's an energy... it surrounds us and penetrates us... it binds the Galaxy together. Also, listeners, weigh in: are you like Emily, an ewok fan, or are you like V, terrified of ewoks? Let us know in the comments wherever you're listening or send us a message on Tumblr! Sources The Fan Girl Film Club Jimmy Fallon, The Roots, & the Cast of The Force Awakens Fantha Tracks Episode Nothing 10PM News, June 4, 1977 Promo Aim High Brooch Designs - For 25% off any order on Aim High Brooch Designs on Etsy, including a custom brooch, bag charm, keychain, or magnet design, use the promo code TWIFH. Virtual TGIF/F - Our friends at TGI Femslash have just announced a brand-new, online fan con happening this summer. On August 29–30, Virtual TGIF/F will bring femslash fans from around the world together for discussion panels, online events, and more. Registration opens June 1st. Find out more at tgifemslash.com/virtualcon Wow If True - Wow If True is your one-stop internet culture shop, explaining how what's happening online shapes the real world. And they're the internet experts and real-life besties to unravel it: tech culture journalist Amanda Silberling and science fiction author slash attorney Isabel J. Kim, Esq. More importantly, they're the only podcast that will mention Neopets and horizontal mergers in the same episode. So check out Wow If True, wherever on the internet you find your podcasts. New episodes every other Wednesday. This Week In Fandom History is a fandom-centric podcast that tells you… what happened this week in fandom history! Follow This Week in Fandom History on Tumblr at @thisweekinfandomhistory We're now on Instagram! @thisweekinfandomhistory Check out our Fandom Primer playlist via linktr.ee/twifh You can support the show via our Patreon at http://www.patreon.com/thisweekinfandomhistory If you have a fannish company, event, or service and would like to sponsor or partner with TWIFH, please contact us via our website. Please remember to rate the show 5 stars on your listening platform of choice!  

Party drugs are out, and injecting grey market peptides with your LinkedIn connections at Silicon Valley house parties is in. Yes, the biohacker tech bros have peptide dealers in China who are sending them dubious chemicals to construct things like "the Wolverine stack," which are supposed to make them more alert and/or younger and/or tanner? This doesn't make any sense, which is why we brought in our friends and actual scientists from Tiny Matters -- Dr. Sam Jones and Dr. Deboki Chakravarti -- to explain to us the science (or lackthereof?) behind the peptide craze. LinksTiny MattersFind Us Online Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/wowiftrue.bsky.socialTwitter: https://twitter.com/wowiftruepodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/wowiftruePatreon: https://www.patreon.com/wowiftrueWebsite: https://wowiftrue.com/ Email: wowiftruepod@gmail.comAbout Us Wow If True was created by Isabel J. Kim and Amanda Silberling. Our editors are Allison Mills and David Newtown. Wow If True is a member of Multitude, a podcast collective, production studio and ad sales provider.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Isabel is a speculative fiction writer and podcast host (Wow If True), whose debut novel, Sublimation, a story of Doppelgängers, corporate intrigue, heartbreak, betrayal, and the harsh permanence of the border, hits stores on June 2, 2026. We dig deep into the well of metafiction in a game of superhero vs. author in a game of Death of the Author by Blinking Birch Games.ISABEL J. KIM: https://www.isabel.kim/SUBLIMATION: https://torpublishinggroup.com/sublimationWOW IF TRUE: https://www.wowiftrue.com/DEATH OF THE AUTHOR: https://blinkingbirchgames.itch.io/death-of-the-authorALL MY FANTASY CHILDREN: https://moonshotpods.com/all-my-fantasy-children/PARTY OF ONE DISCORD: https://discordapp.com/invite/SxpQKmKSUPPORT JEFF ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/jeffstormerFOLLOW JEFF ON TWITCH: https://www.twitch.tv/gmjeffstormerTHEME SONG: Mega Ran feat. D&D Sluggers, “Infinite Lives,” RandomBeats LLC, www.megaran.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

We're talking about Shy Girl, the horror novel cancelled over alleged AI use, the conclusion of a romantasy lawsuit, recent Meta rulings, and a bunch of other random stuff in the middle because come on, you know us, we love to gab.SourcesShy Girl timelineWriters telling on themselves Meta lawsuitsFind Us Online Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/wowiftrue.bsky.socialInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/wowiftruePatreon: https://www.patreon.com/wowiftrueWebsite: https://wowiftrue.com/ Email: wowiftruepod@gmail.comAbout Us Wow If True was created by Isabel J. Kim and Amanda Silberling. Our editors are Allison Mills and David Newtown. Wow If True is a member of Multitude, a podcast collective, production studio and ad sales provider.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We have found the literal worst song: "Take the Lead" by Tilly Norwood, who is an AI actor, and is singing about overcoming the oppression that AI actors face. Yes, this is real. Also: we talk about Isabel's wedding. Yay parasociality! SourcesAI ‘actor' Tilly Norwood put out the worst song I've ever heardFind Us Online Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/wowiftrue.bsky.socialTwitter: https://twitter.com/wowiftruepodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/wowiftruePatreon: https://www.patreon.com/wowiftrueWebsite: https://wowiftrue.com/ Email: wowiftruepod@gmail.comAbout Us Wow If True was created by Isabel J. Kim and Amanda Silberling. Our editors are Allison Mills and David Newtown. Wow If True is a member of Multitude, a podcast collective, production studio and ad sales provider.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Iz and Amanda talk about Moltbook, a forum only for AI agents (and the humans pretending to be them), which caused a brief moment of panic that our AI overlords were going to rise up against us. Special guest star Iz's fiance weighs in on the eigenvector of evil and also, whether sommelier-ing is anything.SourcesAmanda's Moltbook article: https://techcrunch.com/2026/02/16/after-all-the-hype-some-ai-experts-dont-think-openclaw-is-all-that-exciting/Find Us Online Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/wowiftrue.bsky.socialTwitter: https://twitter.com/wowiftruepodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/wowiftruePatreon: https://www.patreon.com/wowiftrueWebsite: https://wowiftrue.com/ Email: wowiftruepod@gmail.comAbout Us Wow If True was created by Isabel J. Kim and Amanda Silberling. Our editors are Allison Mills and David Newtown. Wow If True is a member of Multitude, a podcast collective, production studio and ad sales provider.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We made a collabisode with Dr. Matthew Gabriele of American Medieval, a real life historian of medieval history! It turns out that there's actually a significant crossover between internet culture and the middle ages. We are as surprised as you are. LinksAmerican MedievalHyperallergic article about crusadercoreFind Us Online Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/wowiftrue.bsky.socialTwitter: https://twitter.com/wowiftruepodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/wowiftruePatreon: https://www.patreon.com/wowiftrueWebsite: https://wowiftrue.com/ Email: wowiftruepod@gmail.comAbout Us Wow If True was created by Isabel J. Kim and Amanda Silberling. Our editors are Allison Mills and David Newtown. Wow If True is a member of Multitude, a podcast collective, production studio and ad sales provider.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Will you come to our cottage... to talk about Heated Rivalry with us? The beloved Queer Hockey Show™ has taken over the internet, so who better to talk to us about it than very online Multitude CEO and Heated Rivalry/romance novel superfan Amanda McLoughlin!? (For some reason my audio is ass, but I am saying it is an homage to the amount of ass that appears in Heated Rivalry.) Find Us Online Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/wowiftrue.bsky.socialTwitter: https://twitter.com/wowiftruepodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/wowiftruePatreon: https://www.patreon.com/wowiftrueWebsite: https://wowiftrue.com/ Email: wowiftruepod@gmail.comAbout Us Wow If True was created by Isabel J. Kim and Amanda Silberling. Our editors are Allison Mills and David Newtown. Wow If True is a member of Multitude, a podcast collective, production studio and ad sales provider.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We're back for the new year, joined by pop culture writer + narrative strategist Eteng Ettah to create a bingo card for the cursed events of 2026 that likely await us. We apologize in advance, both for mentioning possible horrors like "MrBeast IPO" and "Caroline Ellison book deal," but also, because Amanda was at her parents' house and recorded on AirPods. LinksBingo cards! Get your bingo cards!!: https://www.wowiftrue.com/2026-bingo/ (... we talk more about how we "made" this on the Patreon)Eteng's newsletter: https://www.etengettah.com/Eteng's podcast: https://www.instagram.com/considercomfortpod/Find Us Online Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/wowiftrue.bsky.socialInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/wowiftruePatreon: https://www.patreon.com/wowiftrueWebsite: https://wowiftrue.com/ Email: wowiftruepod@gmail.comAbout Us Wow If True was created by Isabel J. Kim and Amanda Silberling. Our editors are Allison Mills and David Newtown (but this episode was edited by Julia. Schifini!). Wow If True is a member of Multitude, a podcast collective, production studio and ad sales provider.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's holiday time! That means you get a stocking stuffer worth of an episode -- a handful of topics we wanna chitchat about but aren't big enough for their whole episode (Is this how stockings work? Amanda is writing this). So, tune in for: we didn't get 30 under 30 because we didn't do fraud; what do Elon Musk, Luigi Mangione, and Isabel J. Kim have in common; 'Extremely kidpilled' Sam Altman; random tangents about baseball?; and Amanda's embarrassing temptation to buy an AI wearable. Also Isabel is on a train at one point. But at no point do either of us do fraud.If you're wondering, you can indeed hear the "secret sauce" on our Patreon.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you enjoyed this episode, consider joining our Patreon. Your support helps us keep the show running. Find out more at http://www.patreon.com/whyisthisgoodpodcast In this episode, we discuss “Why Don’t We Just Kill the Kid in the Omelas Hole” by Isabel J. Kim. What can we learn from this story that plays off another classic story? How can a clear voice set the tone for a story? What distinguishes fantasy from realist storytelling that wants to comment on real-world issues? How can we shape our own voices for different stories? For daily writing tips, industry news, and great short fiction, join our Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/groups/napleswritersworkshop You can also subscribe to our monthly newsletter at http://www.napleswritersworkshop.com

With our provider struggling a little following the various Cloudflare issues of late, Gary and Jonathan call up Nebula and BSFA Award winner Isabel J. Kim to talk about what she's been reading, her holiday favourites, what she had out in the past year, and the upcoming publication of her debut novel Sublimation next year. As always, our thinks to Isabel for making time to talk to us today. We hope you enjoy the episode.

We read a bunch of articles about the state of dating/dating apps and yes, THAT gooning article, and talked about them. It's like English class where you read a bunch of stuff and talk about it except you haven't done the reading!!! But you can do the reading. It's right here. This is the reading.ReadingThe Goon Squad (Harper's)"But PornosexualGooner101 Died 35 Years Ago...This Very Night!" (The Chatner)The Trouble With Wanting Men (NYT)Is Having a Boyfriend Embarrassing Now? (Vogue)Other StuffFollow-up interview w/ Goon Squad writerWait, people actually use Facebook Dating?The best dating apps aren't even dating appsMeet the goonettesAbout Us Wow If True was created by Isabel J. Kim and Amanda Silberling. Our editors are Allison Mills and David Newtown. Wow If True is a member of Multitude, a podcast collective, production studio and ad sales provider.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This time we discussed A Mouthful of Dust, book 6 of The Singing Hills Cycle, written by Nghi Vo and narrated by Cindy Kay. We also discussed some of our favorite recent short fiction listens in our short fiction spotlight.   A Mouthful of Dust [Libro.fm] / [Overdrive/Libby] A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping [Libro.fm] / [OverDrive/Libby] The Grimoire Grammar School Parent Teacher Association [Libro.fm] / [OverDrive/Libby] The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches [Libro.fm] / [OverDrive/Libby] Short Fiction Spotlight: "Wire Mother" written by Isabel J. Kim, narrated by Kate Baker [Clarkesworld] - Issue 229: October 2025 / Short Story "Holding Patterns" written by Jennifer Hudak, narrated by Kat Kourbeti [Escape Pod 989] / Short Story "The Porniest Porn in Porntown" written by Stephen Graham Jones, narrated by Stefen Rudnicki [Lightspeed] - October 2025 (Issue 185) / Short Story "Five Impossible Things" written by Koji A. Dae, narrated by Kate Baker [Clarkesworld] - Issue 228: September 2025 / Short Story "The Garden" written by Emma Törzs, narrated by Erika Ensign [Uncanny Magazine] - Issue Sixty-Five "The Girl Who Came Before" written by David von Allmen, narrated by Pine Gonzalez [Escape Pod 1004] / Short Story  

We're teaming up with Dr. Claire Aubin of our sibling show, This Guy Sucked, to talk about something that is not a guy, but does suck: the internet! It's easy to say that the internet sucks, but what makes it suck, how did it get this way, and how can we fix it? Using Cory Doctrow's new book "Enshittification" as a guide, we talk it out.Find Us Online Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/wowiftrue.bsky.socialTwitter: https://twitter.com/wowiftruepodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/wowiftruePatreon: https://www.patreon.com/wowiftrueWebsite: https://wowiftrue.com/ Email: wowiftruepod@gmail.comAbout Us Wow If True was created by Isabel J. Kim and Amanda Silberling. Our editors are Allison Mills and David Newtown. Wow If True is a member of Multitude, a podcast collective, production studio and ad sales provider.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode features "Wire Mother" written by Isabel J. Kim. Published in the October 2025 issue of Clarkesworld Magazine and read by Kate Baker. The text version of this story can be found at: https://clarkesworldmagazine.com/kim_10_25 Support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/clarkesworld/membership

Narrated by Stefan Rudnicki.

This episode features "City of One" by Stephen S. Power (©2025 by Stephen S. Power) and "Human Voices" by Isabel J. Kim (©2025 by Isabel J. Kim), both read by Stefan Rudnicki Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're chatting with Kaila Yu, author of "Fetishized," about her experience growing up online in the 90s and 00s and reckoning with her relationship to Asian fetishization. Yu started as an "import model" and pin-up girl who appeared in "Playboy" and the "Fast and Furious" franchise, then became a MySpace star and lead of the all Asian-American punk band Nylon Pink, and now, she's a writer and content creator studying the portrayal of Asian women in the media.Links"Fetishized" by Kaila YuKaila's Instagram & TikTokFind Us Online Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/wowiftrue.bsky.socialTwitter: https://twitter.com/wowiftruepodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/wowiftruePatreon: https://www.patreon.com/wowiftrueWebsite: https://wowiftrue.com/ Email: wowiftruepod@gmail.comAbout Us Wow If True was created by Isabel J. Kim and Amanda Silberling. Our editors are Allison Mills and David Newtown. Wow If True is a member of Multitude, a podcast collective, production studio and ad sales provider.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Isabel and Amanda sacrifice the sanctity of their souls and talk to Ani, the very horny anime waifu that is now part of Elon Musk's Grok app. But don't worry, we balance it out by telling you a weirdly wholesome story about Tony Hawk.[This episode is NSFW; if you do not want to hear an AI panda talk about burning down schools, you also might wanna skip this one]SourcesAmanda's article about Ani and Bad Rudy Find Us Online Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/wowiftrue.bsky.socialTwitter: https://twitter.com/wowiftruepodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/wowiftruePatreon: https://www.patreon.com/wowiftrueWebsite: https://wowiftrue.com/ Email: wowiftruepod@gmail.comAbout Us Wow If True was created by Isabel J. Kim and Amanda Silberling. Our editors are Allison Mills and David Newtown. Wow If True is a member of Multitude, a podcast collective, production studio and ad sales provider.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Isabel and Amanda talk about two very different kinds of AI grift. In one, a man pretends to be real social media for the (probably) AI band "The Velvet Sundown." In another, Soham Parekh simply gets employed by every single AI startup at once. SourcesThe Velvet Sundown: https://medium.com/@andrew.frelon/i-am-andrew-frelon-the-guy-running-the-fake-velvet-sundown-twitter-fcab2b7e471bSoham: https://techcrunch.com/2025/07/03/everyone-in-tech-has-an-opinion-about-soham-parekh/Find Us Online Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/wowiftrue.bsky.socialTwitter: https://twitter.com/wowiftruepodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/wowiftruePatreon: https://www.patreon.com/wowiftrueWebsite: https://wowiftrue.com/ Email: wowiftruepod@gmail.comAbout Us Wow If True was created by Isabel J. Kim and Amanda Silberling. Our editors are Allison Mills and David Newtown. Wow If True is a member of Multitude, a podcast collective, production studio and ad sales provider.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

You had questions. We have answers. We tell you about: the most "white lady" email we have sent; our screen time; fears of unexpected wet; life hacks for 29-year-olds specifically; Amanda's undying love for HBO Girls; cursed food content; political memes and earnestness; is there any good use of AI; and, unfortunately, not the 1944 US-Mexico Water Treaty.Find Us Online Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/wowiftrue.bsky.socialTwitter: https://twitter.com/wowiftruepodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/wowiftruePatreon: https://www.patreon.com/wowiftrueWebsite: https://wowiftrue.com/ Email: wowiftruepod@gmail.comAbout Us Wow If True was created by Isabel J. Kim and Amanda Silberling. Our editors are Allison Mills and David Newtown. Wow If True is a member of Multitude, a podcast collective, production studio and ad sales provider.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Bitches love endurance.Think Twitch stream marathons. Think the 3-week livestream of moose migration happening at the time of this episode's publication. Think the first ever viral MrBeast video in which he simply counts to 100,000. From the Barkley Marathons to Cory Booker's day-long Senate speech, this is the episode in which we discover that people on the internet really like when people do stuff, but for a long time.SourcesJasmin Paris documentaryCory Booker's Oura ring statsMoose Migration!!!!!!!Find Us Online Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/wowiftrue.bsky.socialTwitter: https://twitter.com/wowiftruepodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/wowiftruePatreon: https://www.patreon.com/wowiftrueWebsite: https://wowiftrue.com/ Email: wowiftruepod@gmail.comAbout Us Wow If True was created by Isabel J. Kim and Amanda Silberling. Our editors are Allison Mills and David Newtown. Wow If True is a member of Multitude, a podcast collective, production studio and ad sales provider.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Amanda tells Iz about Claude Plays Pokemon, where an AI wearing the skin of a beloved communal experience simply fails to make it out of Mt. Moon. Then Iz inflicts JD Vance memes on Amanda, explaining another sort of beloved communal experience: making JD Vance edits. Also—brodernism!SourcesAmanda's article on Claude plays PokémonBrodernism!An all time bad post :(Midroll linksThis Guy SuckedCrampedFind Us Online Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/wowiftrue.bsky.socialTwitter: https://twitter.com/wowiftruepodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/wowiftruePatreon: https://www.patreon.com/wowiftrueWebsite: https://wowiftrue.com/ Email: wowiftruepod@gmail.comAbout Us Wow If True was created by Isabel J. Kim and Amanda Silberling. Our editors are Allison Mills and David Newtown. Wow If True is a member of Multitude, a podcast collective, production studio and ad sales provider.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Silicon Valley bros are not okay, and neither are their indeterminate number of genetic offspring. We discuss why the rightwing tech elite are obsessed with having babies, and more importantly, how can we possibly move forward with our lives now that we have [spoilers] learned about a new Elon baby live on air?Sources“The Tech Baron Seeking to Purge San Francisco of ‘Blues'”Amanda's “Uber with Guns” articleAshley St. Clair sues Elon Musk for custodyGrimes' custody struggles with Elon Musk“Why the Left Should Embrace Pronatalism”“A fired federal worker grapples with her vote for Trump”Bryan Johnson is, well, yeahFind Us Online Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/wowiftrue.bsky.socialTwitter: https://twitter.com/wowiftruepodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/wowiftruePatreon: https://www.patreon.com/wowiftrueWebsite: https://wowiftrue.com/ Email: wowiftruepod@gmail.comAbout Us Wow If True was created by Isabel J. Kim and Amanda Silberling. Our editors are Allison Mills and David Newtown. Wow If True is a member of Multitude, a podcast collective, production studio and ad sales provider.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Everyone cites a statistic about how men don't read, but no one knows where that statistic comes from -- so, we did our own very sound scientific study and talked to some men we know about reading. Saunas are involved. Wow if True except every time you ask a man if they read the room gets one degree hotter because we are in a sauna.  Thanks to Eric Silver, Sam Rizer, David Newtown, and an amorphous disembodied chorus of Isabel's high school friends ("myst cult") in a sauna for participating. Sources: The viral panic around men's reading habits, fact-checked: https://www.vox.com/culture/392971/men-reading-fiction-statistics-fact-checked Find Us Online  Twitter: https://twitter.com/wowiftruepod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wowiftrue Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wowiftrue Website: https://wowiftrue.com/ Email: wowiftruepod@gmail.com About Us  Wow If True was created by Isabel J. Kim and Amanda Silberling. Our editors are Allison Mills and David Newtown. Wow If True is a member of Multitude, a podcast collective, production studio and ad sales provider.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We're out here talking about romantasy and lawsuits related to romantasy. No, not the omegaverse one. OK, a little bit the omegaverse one. Also, asking the age of question: do men read. (Also, a note for the sharp-eared listeners, we don't talk about public domain day despite promising it - next ep!) Find Us Online  Twitter: https://twitter.com/wowiftruepod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wowiftrue Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wowiftrue Website: https://wowiftrue.com/ Email: wowiftruepod@gmail.com About Us  Wow If True was created by Isabel J. Kim and Amanda Silberling. Our editors are Allison Mills and David Newtown. Wow If True is a member of Multitude, a podcast collective, production studio and ad sales provider.

We discuss the internet's reaction to the United Healthcare CEO shooting and the suspect, Luigi Mangione, from a perspective sorely missing from the national conversation: two people who also went to Penn. Finally, something we have true expertise in. Also: how attractiveness relates to public opinion, online sentiment toward Luigi, and you know, the whole murder thing. Links NYT thinks Luigi is too hot: https://www.kenklippenstein.com/p/ny-times-doesnt-want-you-to-see-mangiones Lit Hub on Luigi's Goodreads: https://lithub.com/luigi-mangione-is-currently-reading-what-can-we-really-learn-about-the-uhc-ceos-killer-based-on-the-books-hes-read/ Find Us Online  Twitter: https://twitter.com/wowiftruepod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wowiftrue Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wowiftrue Website: https://wowiftrue.com/ Email: wowiftruepod@gmail.com About Us  Wow If True was created by Isabel J. Kim and Amanda Silberling. Our editors are Allison Mills and David Newtown. Wow If True is a member of Multitude, a podcast collective, production studio and ad sales provider.

In this episode: somehow, no one makes a 4Beez nuts joke. Also, we talk about the Korean 4B feminist movement strangely gaining steam on American TikTok after the election, and how the right is mad that women are shaving their heads, but no one is actually shaving their heads. Also, bald correspondent Joe joins us in the studio -- we literally mean a studio this time, we were in a studio weirdly... wow if true...  Links: Volante Design: https://www.volantedesign.us/ (use code WOW for 10% off!) Find Us Online  Twitter: https://twitter.com/wowiftruepod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wowiftrue Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wowiftrue Website: https://wowiftrue.com/ Email: wowiftruepod@gmail.com About Us  Wow If True was created by Isabel J. Kim and Amanda Silberling. Our editors are Allison Mills and David Newtown. Wow If True is a member of Multitude, a podcast collective, production studio and ad sales provider.

Iz and Amanda talk about: glow in the dark condoms, America's most evil liberal, the double bongcloud, Isabel's book career and the fact that she needs to become a TikTok star, and bringing the portal to Philadelphia, ft. cameo by Iz's boyfriend, at the most appropriate time. Find Us Online  Twitter: https://twitter.com/wowiftruepod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wowiftrue Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wowiftrue Website: https://wowiftrue.com/ Email: wowiftruepod@gmail.com About Us  Wow If True was created by Isabel J. Kim and Amanda Silberling. Our editors are Allison Mills and David Newtown. Wow If True is a member of Multitude, a podcast collective, production studio and ad sales provider.  

Time for Wow if True 101, a brief look back at the history of Wow if True. By brief, we mean an hour. Iz and Amanda talk about the trajectory of Wow if True and also, their lives. This one's MAD parasocial. Find Us Online  Twitter: https://twitter.com/wowiftruepod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wowiftrue Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wowiftrue Website: https://wowiftrue.com/ Email: wowiftruepod@gmail.com About Us  Wow If True was created by Isabel J. Kim and Amanda Silberling. Our editors are Allison Mills and David Newtown. Wow If True is a member of Multitude, a podcast collective, production studio and ad sales provider.

We made it to a hundred episodes! Unfortunately, all celebration must be postponed because Isabel needs to read Amanda far too much Pokémon mythology. That's right, we're talking about the big Pokémon data leak and the resulting Typhlosion memes. By this we mean Pokémon fucking. We're talking about Pokémon fucking. Find Us Online  Twitter: https://twitter.com/wowiftruepod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wowiftrue Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wowiftrue Website: https://wowiftrue.com/ Email: wowiftruepod@gmail.com About Us  Wow If True was created by Isabel J. Kim and Amanda Silberling. Our editors are Allison Mills and David Newtown. Wow If True is a member of Multitude, a podcast collective, production studio and ad sales provider.  

What do celebrities owe us? What do your local podcasters owe you? Does anyone ever owe anyone anything? We discuss whether celebrity endorsements are a positive or negative development, and also whether men deserve candles. Thank you to ~research assistant~ Brae Parenteau for their help on this episode! Sources Chappell Roan's feature in Rolling Stone: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/chappell-roan-good-luck-babe-fame-fans-1235094314/ Harvard study on celebrities' political impact: https://ash.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Ash-Center-Study_Celebrities-Strengthening-Our-Culture-of-Democracy_Final.pdf Taylor Swift + Vote.org stats: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/12/us/politics/taylor-swift-voter-registration.html Find Us Online  Twitter: https://twitter.com/wowiftruepod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wowiftrue Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wowiftrue Website: https://wowiftrue.com/ Email: wowiftruepod@gmail.com About Us  Wow If True was created by Isabel J. Kim and Amanda Silberling. Our editors are Allison Mills and David Newtown. Wow If True is a member of Multitude, a podcast collective, production studio and ad sales provider.

This episode has it all: and by, it all, we mean that Amanda spends about a full twenty minutes talking about her celebrity crush. And yet, through the power of podcasting, we manage to dive into the history of Stanley Cups and Owalas and how water bottles became fashion statements. We even interviewed Dr. Jess Rauchberg, a professor at Seton Hall studying digital culture, about water bottle culture. Amanda's celebrity crush DOES somehow relate to water bottles, but not in the way you think.   Links Jess Rauchberg: https://x.com/JessRauchberg Soda craze in Utah: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/06/dining/swig-soda-shop-chains.html Utah & the Stanley trend: https://www.axios.com/local/salt-lake-city/2024/01/17/stanley-cup-utah-trend-starbucks-target Is this even eco-friendly: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/11/health/water-bottles-beverages.html   Find Us Online  Twitter: https://twitter.com/wowiftruepod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wowiftrue Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wowiftrue Website: https://wowiftrue.com/ Email: wowiftruepod@gmail.com   About Us  Wow If True was created by Isabel J. Kim and Amanda Silberling. Our editors are Allison Mills and David Newtown. Wow If True is a member of Multitude, a podcast collective, production studio and ad sales provider.  

So what's a friend, anyway? Well, if you're making an AI startup, a friend is a mic who is always listening :) Iz and Amanda discover the power of friendship and also the power of buying the url friend.com and also the power of reading The Power Broker, Robert Caro's 1162 page epic. Find Us Online  Twitter: https://twitter.com/wowiftruepod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wowiftrue Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wowiftrue Website: https://wowiftrue.com/ Email: wowiftruepod@gmail.com About Us  Wow If True was created by Isabel J. Kim and Amanda Silberling. Our editors are Allison Mills and David Newtown. Wow If True is a member of Multitude, a podcast collective, production studio and ad sales provider.  

Isabel J. Kim, attorney, author, podcaster, and sword girl, makes the game "Oil Zone," based on the prompts: Neon, hydraulic, a game that doesn't use a regular controller The Mad Max of it all is that you hunt feral AI cars - and other players - at night in order to customize and upgrade your whip. But I hope you have strong arms because you've only got a valve wheel and a hand pump to do it with! STRAP IN FOR A BUMPY RIDE. Hear more of Isabel J. Kim on Wow, If True here or on your favorite podcast app. Also check out the oil-based TTRPG she mentioned, called Greed, here on Itch.io. Visit the DFTBA Big Game Hunger merch shop at bit.ly/jennamerch. Support this show, and submit your OWN random prompts, by subscribing at Patreon.com/TheJenna. Email the show at BigGameHungerPod@gmail.com. Big Game Hunger is part of the Multitude Collective of podcasts. Created and hosted by Jenna Stoeber. Big Game Hunger is a weekly video game podcast where Jenna Stoeber and a guest get three random prompts and have to make the big next game based on them.  

Moiya finally finished the M dwarf planet! She's joined by Isabel J. Kim and together they made the cube crabs a bunch of anxious avoidant chemistry nerds who all went to survival camp.   HOSTED by Dr. Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist GUEST Isabel J. Kim is an attorney, speculative fiction writer, and co-host of the Wow if True podcast. Stay up to date with her work at isabel.kim  MESSAGES Download a copy of Dr. Moiya's worldbuilding workbook to get started on your fictional world! Fill out the Worldbuilding Club Interest Form if you're looking for a worldbuilding community Listen to Big Game Hunger every Monday HOUSEKEEPING Order my book, THE MILKY WAY: https://www.grandcentralpublishing.com/titles/moiya-mctier/the-milky-way/9781538754153/ BUY EXOLORE SWAG: store.dftba.com/collections/exolore   FIND US ONLINE patreon: patreon.com/exolorepod twitter: twitter.com/ExolorePod instagram: instagram.com/exolorepod website: exolorepod.com subreddit: reddit.com/r/ExolorePod   CREDITS Music: https://www.purple-planet.com Cover art: Stephen J. Reisig, http://stephenjreisig.com/ Editing: Mischa Stanton, https://www.mischastanton.com/    ABOUT US How would you like to swim in an ocean ruled by matriarchal squid, or fly over a planet as it rotates with a swarm of migrating wasps? No, it's not the latest VR craze (... yet); it's Exolore! Exolore helps you imagine other worlds with the help of facts and science. Every other week, host Dr. Moiya McTier invites experts to build a world from scratch or sits down with a fiction fan to dive deep into their favorite worlds. Every episode will make you laugh, go "huh?" and appreciate how special our world really is. Exolore is a member of Multitude Productions, an independent podcast collective and production studio.

Pepe: the frog, the myth, the legend. We go all-in on a deep dive on what Pepe has meant as a cultural symbol – from frog, to neo-nazi, to grassroots rebel, and somehow, to a crypto symbol. Sometimes a frog simply contains multitudes. Feels good man. Find Us Online  Twitter: https://twitter.com/wowiftruepod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wowiftrue Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wowiftrue Website: https://wowiftrue.com/  Email: wowiftruepod@gmail.com About Us  Wow If True was created by Isabel J. Kim and Amanda Silberling. Our editors are Allison Mills and David Newtown. Wow If True is a member of Multitude, a podcast collective, production studio and ad sales provider.

None of this episode is legal advice. We're joined by IP attorney Sam Doesntwantrealnameincluded, and we discuss the legality of stealing Scarlett Johannson's voice for your AI, or if she can sue you for one billion dollars (trick question: its always legal to sue in America!). Also, listener questions about copyrighting the internet, answered with varying degrees of legal fidelity. Find Us Online  Twitter: https://twitter.com/wowiftruepod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wowiftrue Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wowiftrue Website: https://wowiftrue.com/ Email: wowiftruepod@gmail.com About Us  Wow If True was created by Isabel J. Kim and Amanda Silberling. Our editors are Allison Mills and David Newtown. Wow If True is a member of Multitude, a podcast collective, production studio and ad sales provider.    

  Wow If True is your one-stop internet culture shop, explaining how what's happening online shapes the real world. And we're the internet experts and real-life besties to unravel it: tech culture journalist Amanda Silberling and science fiction author slash attorney Isabel J. Kim, Esq. More importantly, we're the only podcast that will mention Neopets and horizontal mergers in the same episode. New episode every other Wednesday.   Find Us Online  Twitter: https://twitter.com/wowiftruepod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wowiftrue Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wowiftrue Website: https://wowiftrue.com/ Email: wowiftruepod@gmail.com   About Us  Wow If True was created by Isabel J. Kim and Amanda Silberling. Our editors are Allison Mills and David Newtown. Wow If True is a member of Multitude Productions, an independent podcast collective and production studio.

This episode features "Why Don't We Just Kill the Kid In the Omelas Hole" written by Isabel J. Kim. Published in the February 2024 issue of Clarkesworld Magazine and read by Kate Baker. The text version of this story can be found at: https://clarkesworldmagazine.com/kim_02_24 Support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/join/clarkesworld?